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He's Josh McFly

Instead of the thick glasses, he wears the high socks. Instead of tight shorts, he wears a crew cut. But the tough rebounds and smart passes and old-school unselfishness are the same.He's Josh McFly

He reportedly has the Lakers' highest vertical leap, he once finished second in a national All-Star high school dunk contest, and his first basket in his first exhibition game here was at the business end of an ally-oop.

You can close your mouth now.

"I know, I know," he says. "When you talk about dunking, people look at me like, yeah, right."

He's Josh McHoosier.

He grew up swallowing wood chips that landed in his mouth from his splintered driveway backboard. His other childhood gym was a goal hammered to the side of his grandmother's barn.

He was the nation's top-ranked player as a senior at an Indianapolis-area high school where, during the recent NBA lockout, he served as an assistant coach.

And, oh yeah, he can't stand to watch the movie "Hoosiers" anymore because, basically, he lived it. With his Indiana twang, he even sounds like it.

"Where I came from, all I've been through, that's made me who I am," he says. "Hoosiers is about right."

He is Josh McRoberts. You know his name now, but he went largely unrecognized when he showed up at the opening of Lakers camp last month after being hurriedly swept off the streets.

He was taking Lamar Odom's spot, yet the security guard thought he played for the Lakers' D-league team. He was immediately put in the opening-day starting lineup because of Andrew Bynum's suspension, yet some folks thought he was a big ballboy.

"Watching me, people are taken aback sometimes," he says. "I understand."

Oh, but you must watch him. Although he has sat out the last couple of games because of a toe injury, his early impact portends great things for the Lakers McBench. With averages of 5.7 points and 5. 7 rebounds, McRoberts has done the sort of things that make the Lakers better while leaving the sometimes glamour-weary Lakers fans inspired.

The extra pick that frees Kobe Bryant for the jump shot? That's him. That extra pass that leads to a Bynum dunk? Him again.

"I like his effort, I like how hard he plays, but boy, does he need some glasses and somebody to hem his shorts," Kurt Rambis says, laughing.

Rambis, who is doing TV work, quickly returns my call asking about his potential successor, and it's obvious fans aren't the only ones excited by the new guy.

"Laker fans don't know it, but McRoberts is also a pretty good shooter," Rambis says, still chuckling. "Of course, the Lakers won't let him shoot either."

Shooting has been the least of McRoberts' concerns since he arrived here about a month ago after signing a free-agent contract worth $6.1 million for two seasons.

First, there was housing. Because he was signed so hastily and given only three hours notice before his flight from Indianapolis to Los Angeles, he didn't have a chance to find an apartment until this week, so he has been living in a hotel next to the team's El Segundo training complex.

Second, there was driving. He spent his first few weeks in L.A. with no car, which required him to walk to practices and travel to the games in an airport-style shuttle van. When he finally had time to get wheels, he borrowed a friend's Prius. Only a couple of days ago did he finally rent something.

The surreal part actually occurred during the journey before he arrived, from high school star to Duke disillusionment to a second-round draft pick on what he calls "the worst day of my life."

He left Duke after two seasons with thoughts of NBA stardom in his head, but he wasn't selected until the second round — the 37th overall pick — in the 2007 draft. He was so crushed that he was walking alone on an Indianapolis street when a friend who was holding his phone came outside to tell him he had been drafted by Portland.

"A lot of what has happened has humbled me," he says. "Nothing in my career has gone according to plan, and I think that's actually made me a better person and player."

The Trail Blazers demoted him to their Idaho D-League team for a bit, then he wound up back in Indiana with the Pacers, where finally he logged some consistent minutes last season before suddenly being whisked away to Hollywood.

"I don't know about being in Hollywood," he says. "I pretty much just keep my head down."

Call him what you want, but perhaps the best way to understand Josh McRoberts' acquisition by the Lakers is to understand how he became so attached to those old-fashioned high socks.

"It was last year, I needed a pair at the last minute, James Posey was sitting in the next locker, he threw them to me, I tried them on, they fit, they felt good, it worked," he says.

Re: He's Josh McFly

Re-sign him to be what Jeff Pendergraph is? Because with David West here, that's exactly what his role would be so long as Tyler and Foster were available. He might have gotten Lou's minutes in the meantime, but that's about it. Didn't make sense for him to come back and be in that position; he did what he should have done, and we're doing just fine with what we have as well.

Re: He's Josh McFly

Dumb. It didn't make sense for the Pacers not to try, but it wouldn't have made sense for him to consider coming back here to play in a front court loaded with West, Hibbert, Hansbrough, and Foster clogging up most of his minutes.

Dumber. Considering how much he contributed to the Pacers' wins last year, there is no reason to be happy they didn't re-sign him. Not to mention, if he was on this team in addition to David West, the depth in the front court would be ridiculous.

Re: He's Josh McFly

Dumber. Considering how much he contributed to the Pacers' wins last year, there is no reason to be happy they didn't re-sign him. Not to mention, if he was on this team in addition to David West, the depth in the front court would be ridiculous.

I'm glad we didn't re-sign him. He wouldn't have gotten playing time here. He fits in really well with LA. It's LA. And Lakers fans seem to really like him. He's in a good place.

Re: He's Josh McFly

Yeah with all that free time you have as an NBA player, I would expect Josh to have built a home with his own hands, engineered his own car that runs on awesome, and knocked up some fine west coast lady to start making him organic avocado sammiches.

Re: He's Josh McFly

Dumber. Considering how much he contributed to the Pacers' wins last year, there is no reason to be happy they didn't re-sign him. Not to mention, if he was on this team in addition to David West, the depth in the front court would be ridiculous.

Just because I don't agree with you it doesn't make me stupid. I love how you always try to play the intelligence upper-hand. You're not always right. Nor will I ever be, but to call me dumb isn't what you need to be doing.

Hicks said it best. With West and Hansbrough it makes absolutely no sense to pay him what LAL has been willing to pay him to be on the bench. He is not a center, he isn't anything more than a "dunk artist". Let's just waste money. I mean we tried to trade him at least twice that we know of!

Re: He's Josh McFly

There is a difference between calling you dumb, and calling a post dumb.

Dummy.

The thing his, his post wasn't dumb. It makes complete sense.

I love Josh, but when was he going to play this season had we brought him back? He'd be playing the role Mullin played in the 2000 Playoffs: Riding Pine. He's too good of a player to be doing that. I'm also glad in the end that we didn't re-sign him, because he's now been able to go out and find a role on another team that better suits him.....even if it's on the God-forsaken Lakers.

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Re: He's Josh McFly

Why can't people discuss Josh without being so ****ing polarizing?

I liked Josh as a player, liked what he brought to the team. That said, all this "were gonna regret not signing him" stuff is ridiculous. It didn't make sense for either side. It was hardly going to make or break the team this year.

That said, the opposite, everyone's snarky parting shots and hyperbole against Josh are just throwing gas on the fire. If the Josh discussion annoys you so much, why would you continue to try to incite people with the same tired crap about his "hall of fame induction?" or whatever. Nobody ever said he was some all star talent, people like his role player contributions and energy. Same reason people like Lou, same reason people like Foster. Its pretty simple really, I don't understand why its so hard for some to grasp.

Last edited by Infinite MAN_force; 01-09-2012 at 02:58 PM.

"As a bearded man, i was very disappointed in Love. I am gathering other bearded men to discuss the status of Kevin Love's beard. I am motioning that it must be shaved."

Re: He's Josh McFly

Yeah with all that free time you have as an NBA player, I would expect Josh to have built a home with his own hands, engineered his own car that runs on awesome, and knocked up some fine west coast lady to start making him organic avocado sammiches.

well dude it takes like an hour tops to buy a car and he could easily hire someone to find him a nice apartment somewhere and pay a few grand to move some **** into it. it's just kind of funny that he hasn't yet.

Re: He's Josh McFly

I still don't know why some people act like he's a future hall of famer, he's an energy big off the bench, nothing more. We already have one in Amundson for that role, and there are quite a few others in the NBA.